Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée

Ingredients

• 4 large egg yolks 
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 
• 0.3 cup brown sugar light packed
• 2 cups milk 2% reduced-fat
• 0.8 cup nonfat milk dry
• 0.1 teaspoon salt 
• 3 inch vanilla pod split
• 1.5 teaspoons water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• wire rack
• ramekin
• baking pan
• microwave

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 30
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk. Set aside.
3. Pour reduced-fat milk into a medium saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds, bean, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and dry milk to pan.
4. Heat mixture over medium heat to 180 or until tiny bubbles form around the edge (do not boil), stirring occasionally with a whisk. Discard bean.
5. Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Divide milk mixture evenly among 6 (4-ounce) ramekins or custard cups.
6. Place ramekins in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch.
7. Bake at 300 for 1 hour or until center barely moves when ramekin is touched.
8. Remove ramekins from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
9. Combine brown sugar and water in a 1-cup glass measure. Microwave at HIGH 30 seconds; stir until sugar dissolves. Microwave at HIGH 60 seconds; pour evenly over each dessert, quickly tipping ramekins to coat tops of brles. (There will be a thin layer of melted sugar.)
10. Let harden.